Tickets are now on sale for an epic new music project commissioned as part of Mayflower 400. Voyages of the Heart premieres online this April. The powerful new work by renowned composer, producer, cellist and kora virtuoso Tunde Jegede is co-commissioned by Turner Sims Southampton and Southampton City Council and is inspired by the stories of Southampton’s migrant and refugee communities, collected through the City Archive and a new National Lottery Heritage Fund-supported oral history project. 

 

Tunde describes the piece as: “about heritage, journeys, migration and the transitory sense of home and identities… [asking] pivotal questions of our perception of culture, memory, race and how we see the world.”

 

Supported by funding from Arts Council England, Southampton City Council and the University of Southampton, the piece involves 25 musicians (22 of them local) from a range of backgrounds and disciplines including: Gospel singers; an operatic choir, an Indian classical music vocalist, and a reggae, soul, opera and Gaelic singer. Instruments include: a string quartet, Irish folk violin and flute, guitar, Sitar, Oud, Tabla, drums and bass. The piece beautifully blends these varied styles together to create a multi-layered musical journey which is reflective of Southampton’s multicultural population.

 

The piece will be recorded at Southampton’s leading concert hall, Turner Sims, and will be premiered as an online performance, on Friday 23rd April 2021 at 7pm. Tickets are available, directly from Turner Sims, at a variety of pay-what-you-can price points: http://www.turnersims.co.uk/events/mayflower400-voyages-of-the-heart/. Access to the event is available for one week after the performance.

 

Tunde Jegede has been developing resources especially for community use throughout this project to inspire local musicians to explore multiple musical genres. After the premiere event, an online programme will run for two local community choirs, and local choirs and schools will have free access to over 20 songs from the piece. More information on: https://mayflower400southampton.co.uk/events-and-workshops/tunde-jegede/

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Tunde Jegede Composer

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SOLO VOCALISTS
Laverne Williams the Mother, (Opera Mezzo Soprano), Shannon B the Daughter (Soul Singer), Ivan Dellimore the Father (Reggae Singer), Sal Chitulu the Son (Mc /poet/Vocalist), Pooja Angra the Elements (Indian Classical Vocalist), Hayley Mcdowell the Waters (Irish Gaelic Singer)

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GOSPEL SINGERS 
Kim Kirby, Cj Edwards, Tia Mcgregor

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OPERATIC CHOIR
Liane Marie Cole, Colin Judson, William Gadd, Lucy Urquhart

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INSTRUMENTALISTS
Helen Gentile Irish Whistle /Flute, Lewis Wood Irish Folk Violin, Olivia Jageurs Harp, Zayn Mohammed Sitar / Oud, Jonathan Fashole - luke Piano

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STRING QUARTET
Philippa Baldwin Violin I, Louise Owen Violin II, Helen Louise Viola, Kelly Jo Peters Cello

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RHYTHM SECTION
Mitel Purohit Tabla, Scratch Gordon Bass, Luke Garnes Drums

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